Last year's Under-21 winning captain Gearoid McKiernan is back after missing the entire league campaign with injury.

John McCutcheon, who rejoined the panel recently, starts at centre half-back for the game at Breffni Park (15:30).

New senior manager Terry Hyland has blooded a number of players he has worked with at Under-21 level over the past three years.

Cavan won back-to-back Ulster titles in 2011 and 2012 and the return of last year's Ulster winning captain Gearoid McKiernan is a massive boost to their chances of winning possession around midfield.

Only one of this year's Under-21 winning team, Jack Brady, is included in the starting fifteen for Sunday's preliminary round tie. The winners will play Derry in the Ulster senior football quarter-final on June 16.